The Houston Astros are just one win away from their third straight World Series appearance and host a Texas Rangers team in need of two wins to make the World Series for the first time since 2011.
Texas Rangers vs. Houston Astros (-120, 8.5)
On the mound for the Astros to start the game is Framber Valdez, who has had a rough postseason with 10 runs, nine of which earned, allowed in his two starts across seven innings and his struggles date all the way back to the summer months.
Since sustaining an ankle injury the All-Star Break, Valdez has been a subpar pitcher with a 5.17 ERA with over 1.3 home runs and 3.4 walks per nine win 14 starts between the regular season and playoffs since the All-Star Break.
On the other side, Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi has looked much better in the postseason than he did in September, when he posted a 9.30 ERA with just 20 1/3 innings completed in six starts before posting a 2.29 ERA across three starts in the postseason.
The Rangers back him up with a bullpen that was 24th in the league in bullpen ERA this season with a 4.77 ERA in the bullpen and their 4.12 ERA in the postseason is the worst for any American League playoff team.
Both teams entering supplying home runs as these two teams with the regular season and postseason included are the top two teams in the American League in home runs per game with both averaging nearly 1.44 home runs per game with the Astros hitting 18 home runs in nine games this postseason.
Overall this season, the Rangers lead the American League in runs per game while the Astros led the American League in runs per game from June 1 until the end of the regular season.
With the way Valdez has struggled coupled with the Rangers bullpen issues, Game Six of the American League Championship Series will feature lots of runs.
The Play: Rangers vs. Astros Over 8.5
